Kevin Sumlin is the favorite son college football is proud of.

He’s a star. Charismatic. Personable. Likable. He’s one of the few coaches you’d WANT to talk to. And yes, he’s an African-American head coach. In the SEC.

The Indianapolis, Ind. native has been successful at each one of his coaching stops. He coordinated explosive offenses at Oklahoma that featured Jason White and Sam Bradford. Sumlin put the Houston program on the national map, leading the Cougars to 10 wins in 2009 and a school-record 13 wins and their highest finish in the BCS rankings in 2011.  The Houston offense, led by Case Keenum, set NCAA records in total offense and passing yards.

We know what he’s done in two short years in College Station. A kid named Johnny fell into his lap by winning the starting quarterback job and together they wreaked havoc on the SEC. The Aggies went 11-2 and won the Cotton Bowl in 2012 and entered 2013 with hopes of a SEC West title. They won nine games, defeating Duke in the Chick-fil-A Bowl.

The A&M defense was abysmal last season. They allowed 32 points per game and 222 rushing yards per game, and it cost the Aggies a couple wins. Sumlin’s team had a chance to beat Alabama again last year in College Station, but 42 points wasn’t enough. Then Auburn rolled into The 12th Man and again, A&M had a chance to beat them, but Nick Marshall and Tre Mason lit up the defense.

In four of his six seasons as a head coach, Sumlin’s defense has finished 92nd or worse in the country in scoring defense. Which leads us to this question…

Is Sumlin an elite head coach? Entering 2014, it seems that is the burning question around the country, and certainly in the South. Sumlin, just two seasons into his tenure in the SEC, is seemingly mentioned alongside the top names in the conference. Saban, Miles, Malzahn, Spurrier, Sumlin.

It certainly helps that he leads the richest program in the conference. Texas A&M’s resources are unrivaled.  Boosters, administrators, students and A&M alumni have bought in. They have bought into what Sumlin is selling and they have also bought into the Aggies’ position among the SEC’s elite. When those Texans make a decision, they’re all in, and that has benefitted them throughout this transition.

It also helps that Sumlin has lifted Texas A&M to THE program in the state. The Aggies are dominating the state of Texas in attention, recruiting, facilities, you name it. Texas, Baylor, Texas Tech, TCU; none of them can compete right now with the state of the Texas A&M program, and it is only rising. It doesn’t hurt, either, that the governor of Texas is an A&M graduate and is leading the charge. Must be nice to have the gov have your back.

And as we know, it helps to have the SEC on your side. Coaching in the best conference in the country has vaulted Sumlin into the conversation of best coaches in college football. Your conference has a newly-created, multi-billion dollar venture with ESPN in the SEC Network, a multi-billion dollar television rights deal with ESPN and a near-billion dollar deal with CBS. Sumlin and the Aggies now also have entrance into the fertile recruiting ground that is the South.  He now has the ability to recruit Georgia, Florida and Louisiana. Oh, and he’s dominating Texas.

But more than the program, the state and the conference, can he coach?

Absolutely.

Sumlin is one of the brightest offensive minds in the game today, there’s no questioning that. But what many people may not realize is the man is intensely focused on details.

In an all-access piece with CBS Sports last season during the week leading up to the Alabama game, Sumlin knew more about the previous week’s film versus Sam Houston State and the film on Alabama than his assistants did.  And it was their job to break down their position groups.

It has to be that way with a young staff. Defensive coordinator Mark Snyder, 48, is the oldest assistant on staff. Sumlin turned 50 earlier this month.

His attention to detail is evidenced in the guys he hires. Though young, they devote hours to breaking down film and learning Sumlin’s ways. His staff has bought in, and now players, recruits and other schools are too.

Sumlin inherited a young, inexperienced team when he arrived in College Station prior to the 2012 season.

Scott Johnston, the Aggies 27-year-old recruiting coordinator, has utilized the young A&M staff out on the recruiting trail. They’re beginning to land blue-chip recruits from Texas, but also Louisiana, Florida and other states around the football-rich South.

Just six years into his head coaching career, already two of his proteges have landed head coaching gigs. Kliff Kingsbury, the Aggies offensive coordinator in 2012, is now the head coach at Texas Tech.  He has taken Sumlin’s philosophy, mindset and confidence to Lubbock.  Dana Holgorsen, Sumlin’s offensive coordinator at Houston, is now the head man at West Virginia.  They won’t be the only ones, either.

Quarterback coach Jake Spavital is likely to be a head coach someday.

College football is political. Especially in the Southeastern Conference. Sumlin has all of the traits to succeed; charisma, intellect, sociable. Not only does he succeed on the sidelines, but succeeds at fundraising events, in press conferences and on the recruiting trail. He’s building Texas A&M into a long-term power. He’s had offers to leave since he took over the Aggie program, but he knows what is at his fingertips in College Station.

As long as he stays, Texas A&M poses the greatest threat long-term to Alabama’s dominance. Greater than LSU.  Greater than Auburn. Greater than Florida, South Carolina or Georgia. The Aggies are primed for long-term success and the ability to compete for, and win, championships.

It’s only a matter of time before Texas A&M wins a SEC title, and it’s only a a matter of time before they win a national championship.

And for that, you can thank Kevin Sumlin.